VEGFA and cancer: The glycolytic protein PKM2 is another HIF-1α target that favors cancer cell survival and invasion by aerobic metabolism.27 PKM2 expression has been reported to be significantly associated with OC progression and poor prognosis in OSCC patients, and also enhances VEGF-A expression (a direct target of HIF-1α with a major role in tumor angiogenesis).28 In our study, PMK2 expression in both OPMD and OSCC sections was low, but a higher expression was observed in OPMD with concomitant high-grade dysplasia, as well as in advanced-stage high-graded OSCC samples.